novelA Great Talent has Appeared among the Tigers
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"Does my lord find me vastly different from ordinary tigers? And feel that I'm a deviant?"
Wang Hu's expression didn't change, but it was clear and without a doubt that he indeed thought so.
A small smile formed on the tiger's face, and he spoke calmly and with poise.
Roar~!
"My lord, I've heard of an idiom—'a thousand people have a thousand faces[1]'—among humans. How are tigers any different?
"Brutal, bloodthirsty, mild, foolish, rash, cautious, competitive, wise, and so on—are tigers with different personalities not tigers anymore?
"All the animals, apart from humans, in various parts of Earth have only just stepped onto the path toward developing human intelligence and becoming intelligent beings at this point. Why should my lord feel the need to cling on to an inherent impression?"
All of a sudden, to Wang Hu's shock, he felt as if he'd just had a rude awakening. Clinging on to an inherent impression!
It seemed like... that was indeed the case.
His perception of tigers was founded upon a combination of his experience as a human in his past life and as a tiger in his current lifetime.
However, to be more accurate, it was fully based on mortal tigers that hadn't yet developed human intelligence.
The development of human intelligence was, to a certain extent, akin to the birth of an intelligent lifeform. They were completely different from what they were like in the past.
How many tigers that had developed human intelligence had he only seen in total so far?
Silly Girl, Big Treasure, Little Treasure, and Old Third...
Silly Girl, Big Treasure, and Little Treasure weren't part of the discussion. There were unique circumstances surrounding them so they weren't representative of anything.
This meant that, with the exception of the tiger currently in front of him, Old Third was the only tiger that had developed human intelligence whom he had met.
Yet, his impression of tigers had already become somewhat fixed.
Things like concepts of community and unity and one's cognition of themselves as a species could be disregarded for now. After all, it was indeed rather strange for one to change their mindset right away.
However, he nevertheless felt awkward and uncomfortable looking at this particular wise, scholar-like tiger... and found him a deviant among normal tigers. Now, this was exactly him developing a fixed impression of tigers.
A thousand people had a thousand faces. It wasn't necessarily different for tigers either. The same also went for the other animals.
Intelligent beings—what were intelligent beings?
They were lifeforms with their own unique thoughts. Over time, they would form different personalities and become different existences, whereas non-intelligent beings breed only for the sake of survival, which gradually becomes an instinct to them.
Therefore, non-intelligent beings from the same species nearly all behaved in the same way and had the same personality.
He had not only formed a fixed impression of tigers but also done the same for every other animal species out there apart from humans.
Perhaps it didn't matter much at this point yet, but should he continue to think the same way in the future, he would definitely suffer because of it.
The development of human intelligence represented an all-new beginning. One absolutely mustn't view the various animal species in the same light as before.
Dogs might not necessarily be loyal; cows might not necessarily be simple and honest...
The tiger in front of him was right. Every animal species on Earth, apart from humans, was developing human intelligence at the moment. Their path along this development and becoming intelligent beings had only just begun.
One's perception of them should actually be entirely new.
This applied to the tigers as well. Some tigers were simple and honest like Old Third, as well as scholar-like tigers that were stern, serious, and good at thinking like the one currently in front of him.
In the future, there might also be especially bloodthirsty ones, comical ones, brooding ones, and so on.
One should treat every being that has developed human intelligence like how they treated a human stranger. All past species-specific habits and character traits could only serve as points of reference.
When he thought of it that way—while he still found the tiger in front of him rather awkward, it was a lot better.
Since this part had been resolved, then the remaining question would be why this tiger had so quickly discarded all of its old habits and recognized the importance of community and unity?
Could it be because he was a genius that was skilled at learning and liked to contemplate... so he had learned all these things from the human world in such a short amount of time?
This wasn't necessarily impossible, but neither was Wang Hu going to believe that so easily.
As he contemplated it, his sense of admiration and approval toward the tiger became even stronger by a few notches.
Roar~!
"You're right. It is I whose perception has become fixed. I am happy that a genius like you has emerged from among the tigers."
Disregarding his distrust and uncertainty toward the tiger, he really was happy to see such an existence emerge among the tigers.
Otherwise, should they all be like Old Third, wouldn't he die of fatigue?
Roar~!
"Thank you for the compliment, my lord."
The tiger replied calmly.
Roar~!
"It seems like you're very adept at learning and thinking, and you have even recognized that it is only when we form a community and unite as one that the tigers can survive better in this increasingly dangerous world.
"In that case, what other views do you have? Go on and tell me all about it, " said a fairly intrigued Wang Hu.
The tiger nodded. Then, his expression turned even more serious.
Roar~!
"If my lord is willing to listen, then I'd be willing to tell you, of course. I've been learning about this world ever since I developed human intelligence and China got in contact with me.
"Thereafter, I've started to study China's history and culture and thought extensively about it. While there are still a lot of inadequacies in my understanding, there are nevertheless some things that I daresay be certain of.
"Something unusual is happening in China, and on top of that, this world harbors a huge secret. Letting the tigers live within China borders has its own pros and cons. At present, the pros outweigh the cons.
"As for our relations with China, the best way to handle them is to avoid becoming adversaries with them. However, we mustn't become close to them either. As long as we have enough strength, we'll be able to watch the storm in the world safely from the sidelines..."
His calm and steady voice that carried a sense of serenity and confidence rang out for a very long time. Wang Hu also listened seriously to him for a very long time. He even engaged in the conversation, thus turning it into a discussion.
He realized that an intelligent genius had really emerged from the tigers under his rule.
How long had it only been since he had developed human intelligence?
Yet, he had already formed his own views on many things. On top of that, they even coincided with Wang Hu's own views.
This was a real assistant that would be of help to him.
Gradually, even though there was still some distrust and wariness remaining in him, Wang Hu nevertheless started to see him as a real subordinate.
Roar~!
"What are your views on the task that I've assigned to Su Ling?"
Wang Hu didn't look any different and seemed as though he were just asking a normal question.
The tiger's expression remained as stern as ever as he gave a serious reply.
Roar~!
"My lord, I've also understood many things from Housekeeper Su during this period. I find my lord's vision simply astounding.
"The tigers' habits that have been passed down for countless years are not something that can be easily changed. It is exactly education that they need.
"Additionally, we tigers are strong enough individually to survive alone in the forests. Even if they were to develop human intelligence in the future, it is necessary to have an absolute king ruling over them and leading them if we want them to unite as one.
"Like how the idiom 'a host of dragons without a leader' goes, a pack of tigers also need a leader to become a strong power. This leader is none other than you, my lord."
His firm and emphatic tone delighted Wang Hu, especially when Wang Hu saw how the other party was singing praises of the Tiger King so sternly as if he thought all of this was entirely natural and justified. It simply felt rather good.
Wang Hu knew the other party wasn't currying favor with him, and exactly because he knew of that, he could tell the other was speaking truthfully. It made him feel so good.
Also, the other party's attitude undoubtedly approved of what he wanted to do.
How could he not be happy?
Roar~!
"My lord, when the time is right in the future, we can learn from human civilization, establish a real dynasty for the tigers, and speed up the evolution of the tigers' civilization."
Wang Hu's eyes lit up a little. A real dynasty!
He understood the underlying meaning of the idea, of course, and it even aroused some great ambition and aspirations that he had been suppressing all this time.
A few seconds later, he suppressed it again and spoke calmly and steadily.
Roar~!
"We need not speak too much of things that are still too distant in the future."
A thoughtful look came over the tiger's features. Then, as though he had suddenly realized something, he nodded and gave a serious reply that agreed with Wang Hu's views.
Roar~!
"My lord is indeed a visionary. I have acted too impetuously in my moment of joy."
Wang Hu shook his head with a smile as a gesture to show that it was fine.
Suddenly, as though something had occurred to him, a hint of alarm and doubt flashed across his mind.
He took a good, long look at the tiger in front of him. Surely, this guy hadn't said that on purpose, right?
However, after thinking about it for a couple of seconds, he didn't mind it anymore.
No matter what, gaining such a clever talent that even spoke such music to the ears as a subordinate was something to be happy about. He needed not overly take unimportant things to heart.
Roar~!
"Do you have a name?" asked Wang Hu in a fairly friendly and mild voice.
The tiger shook his head and gave a calm reply.
Roar~!
"I've thought about it before, but because I've been busy studying, I haven't decided on one yet. Does my lord have any good names in mind?"
Wang Hu became somewhat tempted. It felt great to be able to give such an outstanding tiger a name.
He mused for a moment before he spoke seriously.
Roar~!
"I gave my biological younger brothers the surname Wang. Among the Chinese, those that are one rank lower than the king would be the lord.
"Why don't you use Jun[2] as a surname? I hope you can continue to study and learn and become the most learned sage among the tigers. Thus, I shall bestow the character Wen[3] upon you.
"What do you think of the name Jun Wen?"
The tiger's eyes lit up. He seemed to be mumbling the two words 'Jun Wen' and have also understood some kind of even deeper underlying meaning to it.
A look of gratitude surfaced on his face that had been stern and serious the whole time. Then, he lowered his head as though he were acknowledging allegiance to Wang Hu.
Roar~!
"Jun Wen thanks his lord for bestowing a name upon him. I definitely won't let down my lord's great expectations of me in the future."
A satisfied Wang Hu nodded. Even he found himself becoming more and more pleased with the name the more he thought about it.
Jun Wen. Jun Wen. It sounded nice and also had a profound meaning behind it.
Roar~!
"Find a place nearby this area to live in from now on and assist me in matters relating to the tigers, " said Wang Hu.
Jun Wen naturally nodded and agreed.
Wang Hu didn't say much else after that. He instructed Jun Wen to spend some time and watch Su Ling educate Old Third and see whether there was any way he could help Su Ling.
Then, Wang Hu went to Silly Girl and told her largely about what had happened. In the end, he said in satisfaction, "I didn't expect a genius to emerge from among the tigers so soon. We'll be able to have an easier time in the future now."
Di Baijun was rather unhappy after she heard what Wang Hu said, however.
That Jun Wen or whatever his name was hadn't discussed that many things with her when he was speaking to her.
She didn't even know that Jun Wen actually had so many extraordinary views and was actually that talented.
He had told the jerk but not her.
She felt a sense of psychological imbalance now.
[1] The idiom means that there are all sorts of people in the world
[2] 'Jun' means 'lord' or 'ruler' in Chinese.
[3] This literally means 'ask'. In this case, it refers to the term 'xue wen', which means 'knowledge'.
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